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Sunfury Battalion
"I am the shield that guards the realm of the Sun. I am the Light that pierces the darkness. A sword bathed in Blood. I have sworn a sacred oath that can never be broken: To protect the Sin’dorei To pursue the enemies of Quel’thalas To preserve the honor and tradition of the Sunfury. I am the Sunfury, and now my watch begins." -Sunfury Oath History of the Sunfury The Sunfury were among the most powerful blood elves that Prince Kael'thas led into Outland. They numbered in the thousands. Led by numerous generals, the Sunfury were one of the more ruthless sects of blood elves, as they executed the will of their Prince with an unrivaled zealotry, believing that the very survival of their race depended on the success of their mission. Following the betrayal of Kael'thas, a number of the Sunfury returned home to serve their people rather than follow Kael's damning path, affiliating themselves with Quel'Thalas itself rather than the Crown. Origins of the Sunfury Battalion Prince Kael'thas and his Forces The Sunfury are an elite organization of Sin'dorei soldiers, widely recognized as one of the most accomplished fighting forces in Quel'Thalas. Formed by Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider as he set out on his mission to rebuild following the destruction of Quel'Thalas in the Third War, the Sunfury were Kael’s personal bodyguard and military force. Highly skilled in magic and warfare, loyal to the crown, and dedicated to their prince’s plan to rebuild the kingdom of Quel’thalas. The Sunfury refused to follow their prince into madness when he betrayed the Sin’dorei people to the Burning Legion. They instead defected from the forces in Outland, returned to their homeland, and fought against him with the Shattered Sun Offensive to prevent the Sunwell from being defiled a second time. The Sunfury endured some of the heaviest losses in the battle, as those who had so fervently defended their Prince, now even more fiercely fought to protect the Sin'dorei from a second genocide. Aftermath of the Shattered Sun After the final defeat and death of their Prince, these noble warriors became soldiers without a commander. Their return to Quel'thalas received mixed responses from their people, some seeing them as co-conspirators to the Prince, others seeing them as heroes who had to make the hardest choices. The Sunfury themselves struggled to reconcile their own identity. Being on the frontlines of so much conflict, betrayal at the hands of former allies, as well as having to turn against their prince and commander, had taken a heavy toll on them. They had loved their Prince with a loyalty unto death, and many still held affection for him, believing that Kael'thas truly died in Tempest's Keep, and what was killed in Magister's Terrace was but a shell of a man. With their original purpose lost, many lost hope. As Regent Lord Lor’themar Theron assumed leadership and began to rebuild the Kingdom, leaders among the Noble Houses of Quel'thalas began to discuss ways to give these troops a new purpose. A Noble Proposal With the armies of Quel'Thalas severely depleted in the aftermath of the civil war, and seeking to give new purpose to these honorable soldiers, Lady Shalanori of House Sunshadow, made a proposal to Lor'themar. The kingdom of Quel’thalas would need protectors, men and women rough and ready to do battle, who had already shown themselves capable of making the toughest choices under the most dire circumstances. To defend the ideals, culture, and people of Quel'thalas from those that would seek to eradicate the Sin'dorei. The Sunfury would be called upon to renew their oaths to protect and defend the people of Quel'thalas, to form a new Battalion that would stand as sentinels against any threat from outside or within, called upon in darkest hours to succeed. Lady Shalanori Sunshadow nominated Aeythyr Skyborne, one of Kael's former Sunfury Generals who had remained loyal to Quel'thalas, to lead the Sunfury Battalion. Aeythyr took command as Ranger-General of the Sunfury, and went out to recruit the fiercest and most ruthless fighters from the former royal expeditionary forces, as well as the best and brightest members of the magistrate, the blood knights, and the farstriders, for this new Battalion. Oath of the Sunfury Bathed in the warm light of the bridge outside Sunfury Spire, flanked by Lor'themar on her right, Lady Shalanori addressed the gathered group of warriors: "You have given much, and now more is being asked. Keep watch over our nation while we rebuild. Protect our families. Let our people once again secure this land and bring peace to the children of the blood, who have endured so much. We are grateful for your sacrifices, and I implore you to again renew your oath to Quel'thalas, to Silvermoon, and to the Sin'dorei." "You will be the shield that guards the realm of the sun. The light that pierces the darkness. A sword, bathed in blood. Swear today this sacred oath that can never be broken: To protect the Sin’dorei, to pursue the enemies of Quel’thalas, to preserve the honor and tradition of the Sunfury." "You are the Sunfury, and now your watch begins!" Mission The Sunfury Battalion is an elite Thalassian military force consisting entirely of Sin'dorei, and dedicated to protecting the Sin'dorei people, and the Sunwell. They view themselves as the last line of defense against any threat to the Sin'dorei. The Sunfury haven taken on a broad mission to protect the Sin'dorei people, and while they provide some support to the Farstriders for the defense of Elven lands, their primary theater is beyond Quel'thalas. The Sunfury take a proactive approach to neutralizing threats before they can materialize, as well as rapidly deploying to defend Sin'dorei that would come under attack anywhere on Azeroth. They are considered zealots even by their own people, as is evident in their motto: "Ienne'othesh, Ienne'doros",'' translated as: ''"Malicious Threats Demand Malicious Responses" Command & Operating Structure While the official chain of command reports to Regent Lord Lor’themar, there is significant power and influence from the Noble Houses who fund the Battalion's operations. House Sunshadow, their Patron Sponsor, has a direct leadership role, with Lady Shalanori Sunshadow, a high ranking member of the arcane nobility, appointed as "Grand Magister and Protector of the Order of the Sunfury". Lady Shalanori serves as chief advisor to the battalion's military commander, Sunfury Ranger-General Aeythyr Skyborne. Skyborne is a Blood Knight hero of the second and third wars, and served as one of Kael'thas' Generals until he defected with his regiment after learning of the Prince's betrayal to the Burning Legion. The dual leadership is an intentional arrangement that allows for gray area on what is sanctioned by the government, and what Silvermoon itself can plausibly deny for some of the more ruthless actions the Battalion might take. It serves the Sin’dorei’s purpose quite well to have the battalion sometimes seen as “acting directly on orders from the government”, and sometimes “acting as a rogue militia on a personal vendetta by the Nobles”. ' ' Military Divisions The Battalion has 3 divisions, Suncasters, Sun Knights, and Dawnstriders. These divisions are based on the better-known Blood Elf organizations of Magisters, Blood Knights, and Farstriders, respectively. The Sunfury recruit the top arcanists, knights, and rangers from each of these organizations to serve and fight as a single cohesive unit. Suncasters Commanded by one or more Magisters, this division is made up of Priests, Magi, and Warlocks who perform ranged arcane support and magistrate services. They have a long tradition of respect, power, and devotion to Thalassian society through academics as well as political and social causes. Sun Knights Commanded by one or more Knight-Lords, this division is made up of Death Knights, Warriors, and Paladins. These soldiers are heavily armored melee units that make up the largest segment of soldiers, and the majority of the Sunfury’s infantry and cavalry. Dawnstriders Commanded by one or more Ranger-Captains, these Hunters, Rogues, Demon Hunters and other moderately armored classes are responsible for leading the active patrol of Thalassian lands, as well as ranging into foreign territory to conduct reconnaissance, infiltration, and assassination missions. Fighting Ethos By having these three divisions operating together as a unit, the Sunfury are uniquely equipped to handle atypical and multirole missions. Whereas the Magisters, Blood Knights, and Farstriders are each equipped with different fighting specialties, the Sunfury are not limited by these constructs. By combining the most elite casters, knights, and rangers within a single unit, they are capable of engaging any threat imaginable. Reputation The Sunfury have a longstanding reputation for ferocity and ruthlessness among even the highest levels of the regular Silvermoon army. To earn a rank among the Sunfury is a symbol of mastery of war and extreme zealotry. Even their own people bear a healthy degree of fear of the Sunfury, given their history. The sight of a Sunfury division approaching in the distance is often enough to terrorize even the most hardened enemy force into surrender. ''The ruthless methods of the Sunfury are NOT because they are uncontrolled psychos – quite the opposite. The Sunfury are professional warfighters, seasoned veterans, and extremely skilled at what they do. Internally, many approach their commission with a stoic and almost detached professionalism. Their outward zealotry and methods, are strategic and purposeful. By conducting missions of extreme violence in plain view, it contributes to the fearsome legend and mythology surrounding the Sunfury, and acts as a deterrent against anyone who might think to take action against the Sin’dorei. Actions done in secret allow Silvermoon to maintain deniability, or place the blame on some other organization in order to create strategic political pressure. The Sunfury are a “third option” for problems not easily solved through diplomacy or even traditional military actions. Category:Article management templates Category:Guilds Category:Horde Guild Category:Blood Elf Houses Category:Blood elf guild __NOEDITSECTION__